Actually I believe 4500 kids will be affected. There are real safety concerns and concerns around the MBTA actually being able to handle the increased ridership on many routes.
Regarding exam schools, yeah BLS has great access via 2 green lines, orange line, buses and commuter rail. BTW, Longwood has the lowest crime rate according to MBTA crime data. OBryant has orange line/Roxbury crossing and buses. BLA has only buses. Buses to BLA typically come from Forest Hills, Dudley and Ruggles- highest crime rates according to MBTA data. Parents have a right to be concerned.

Minor thing: Although my daughter is among those BLS students who often take commuter rail home from Ruggles, I wouldn't exactly call it close to BLS. And I wouldn't exactly call it the safest place in the world - although I like the fact she likes to explore the city, I've told her I don't want her going out the other side of the station, based on the number and nature of incidents I keep posting about here.

Does Beverly write tardy notes excusing the students when the kids are stuck on trains that meet their master a couple of times per week? Or for the therapy required for being locked in a packed car with a cast that resembles the bar scene in Star Wars? Actually, I could use a note and therapy too.

On the plus side, when these kids survive many years of that, they'll be able to survive anything.

It's getting worse quickly, isn't it Adam? I lived around there for a few years in like 2005 or so, and while you had to keep your eyes open it wasn't all too dangerous. I actually loved the Mission Hill neighborhood. Now though, the number of violent crimes around Ruggles and out to Tremont and Columbus within blocks are skyrocketing.

Riding the â“‰ is remarkably safe, thanks to the Transit Police Department. I don't think most people appreciate how safe the system really is; it's safer to be inside an MBTA station than it is to be walking on the street!

Bad things will always happen, and evil individuals such as the assailant in this story creep through our world everywhere. Thank goodness the â“‰ police were there to rescue this young man, and take the predator to jail. Many people take them for granted, but the MBTA Transit Police are often, truly, someone's guardian angel.( video from another story, but worth watching again )

Evil assaults are very rare? Do you have data to back up that statement? How about all of the assaults that go unreported? Young kids should not be constantly looking over their shoulder for fear of being assaulted by an adult on their way to and from school.
You introduced motor vehicle accidents into the discussion. Let's see some numbers please. Furthermore, pertaining to this topic, a more accurate comparison would be comparing assaults on the MBTA to motor vehicle accidents in which transporting students is involved. We're talking about students here, not the population at large.

Young kids should not be constantly looking over their shoulder for fear of being assaulted by an adult on their way to and from school.

Then maybe it is a mistake to ignore the fact that nearly all sexual predation is perpetrated by someone known to and trusted by the child, and instead teach the ridiculously misdirected "stranger danger" paranoia.